1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to evacuation chutes, and more particularly to an evacuation chute having a bracket suitable for mounting on a building or an aerial ladder, and which is usable at any height up to the full length of the chute.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chutes to enable persons to escape from multi-story buildings are known in the art.
Tracy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,595 shows an escape chute having a frame mountable on a window edge or on a cherry picker. Elastic bands are provided for cushioning the descent of a person passing through the chute, and a mechanism is provided for retracting the chute.
Curiel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,031 discloses an escape chute having inner and outer chutes to provide additional heat protection. The inner chute includes an elastic band to slow the rate of descent through the chute.
Leisman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,186 discloses a tubular escape chute having a zipper running lengthwise along the tube to allow entry into or exit from the chute at different elevations. The chute may have inner and outer chutes, and may include elastic in the inner chute to slow the rate of descent.
Tracy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,019 discloses a foldable emergency chute which is raised and lowered on a crane apparatus.
Other examples of safety chutes are shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,398,621, 4,595,074, 22,324, 3,027,996, 179,525, 27,992, 113,958, 132,073, 3,910,377.
None of these references provide a rescue chute which is adaptable for securing a rescue chute to a fixed structure, such as a building wall, and to an aerial ladder. Furthermore, none of these references disclose a rescue chute for attachment to an aerial ladder which is adjustable to level the chute at varying angles, and which is suitable for easy installation and removal.